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Michael Chandler Faces Patricio Pitbull in Champion vs. Champion Fight at Bellator 221
The bad blood between Bellator lightweight champion Michael Chandler and reigning featherweight champion Patricio ‘Pitbull’ Freire will finally be settled on May 11 at Bellator 221.
The two fighters have agreed to meet in a champion vs. champion grudge match at the upcoming card expected to take place at the Allstate Arena in Chicago, Ill.
Sources close to the contest confirmed the fight on Thursday following an initial report from ESPN.
Chandler has been itching for the chance to face the Brazilian after the two fighters engaged in a nasty war of words over the past few months.
Chandler already holds a pair of wins over Freire’s brother Patricky including a vicious first round knockout in 2016 in a lightweight title fight.
Just last month, Chandler told MMAWeekly that he was pursuing the fight with ‘Pitbull’ and he was just waiting on the featherweight champion to accept his challenge.
“The direct message is I’m here and I’m ready and waiting,” Chandler said. “There is never a fight that has made more sense in the history of Bellator than Michael Chandler vs. Patricio ‘Pitbull’ for the 155-pound title. That’s clear cut. That’s it. That is signed, sealed and delivered.
“There’s no reason this fight shouldn’t happen. We’re both healthy and ready to go and I plan on doing the same thing to him that I did to his brother.”
As for ‘Pitbull’, the reigning featherweight champion will move up to 155 pounds for the opportunity to settle the score with Chandler while also having the opportunity to become the second fighter in Bellator history to simultaneously hold two titles.
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The Brazilian has won his last three fights in a row and has competed at lightweight previously so moving up a division shouldn’t be a stretch for the current 145-pound champion.
The showdown between Chandler and Freire is expected to headline the Bellator 221 card in May with more fights expected to be announced in the coming weeks.
